Schetsboek met 16 bladen c. 1883 - 1885

Editor: Here we have George Hendrik Breitner's "Sketchbook with 16 Pages," made around 1883 to 1885, using mixed media, watercolor and paper. It looks quite aged, with that beautifully worn marbled cover. What can you tell me about this object? Curator: Well, beyond the drawings inside, let’s consider the sketchbook itself. It’s not just a neutral support; its material construction is deeply connected to artistic production. Notice the visible signs of wear – the frayed edges, the faded colors. Editor: I see it now. Curator: These aren’t accidental. They reflect the labor involved in its creation and use, the resources needed for its production, and even the social status implied by owning such a portable tool. Paper, ink, binding: all commodities. Do you think the materials might have impacted how he created the sketches? Editor: Interesting... it is small and transportable... Were sketchbooks like this common at the time? Would Breitner have made his own? Curator: Mass production was well underway by the 1880s. Breitner likely purchased a pre-made sketchbook. Thinking about the mass production makes the use and even reuse of it so fascinating. This connects his work to broader systems of consumption. Editor: That’s a really different way to consider a sketchbook! I wouldn't normally think about those factors when considering an artwork like this. Curator: Right. It challenges this high art versus low art, even craft, boundary that many people are used to seeing. It makes you consider both the resources that enabled its creation and the social structures involved in its use.